


nothing but love for you

by sukotchi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: But everything works out so it's okay, Fluff and Humor, Hinata is adorable, I don't know how to tag this so I'll stop here, Kenma just wants to play video games and sleep instead of dealing with the things he gets, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, One Of Their Friends is terrible and not to be trusted, POV Alternating, Texting, Wooing, dumb shit man, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-24 10:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17702519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sukotchi/pseuds/sukotchi
Summary: - There's not much you have to do. Just do whatever anyone would do for their crush. It's not so hard.The next message is long, and he reads through it, excitement rising. Perhaps, someone up there really does care for him. Why else would he get his own cheerleader, who's willing to walk him through the seven steps of making Kozume Kenma fall in love with him?





	nothing but love for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asamii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asamii/gifts).



> Asamicchi! This is for you. <3 Thank you for being a joy to write for!  
> Thank you @ One Special Todo who deserves lots of attention and affection, for answering two questions. Thank you to other good humans.  
> Thank you @ [Secret Friend] who let me spam them with this idea.  
> Thank you @ [Other Secret Friend] who let me rant for hours about fics and didn't tell me to shut up. Also helped out in some way but I can't remember.  
> And thank you mods for this. :3  
> Thank you to readers who are about to sit through nonsense.  
> So many thanks. ^^;
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!! Enjoy. <3

_what do I do though? >< hes so. ALOOF. THAT'S THE WORD._

_\- :')_  
_\- I can't believe you know words like 'aloof' but can't use proper punctuation._  
_\- Also, Kenma's not aloof. You know that. He just doesn't show much interest in things._

_i know!!!! and he's really admirable! But what do i DO_

Groaning, Shouyou tosses his phone somewhere among the sheets, and shoves his face into his pillow. He realises he didn't answer the message about his lack of knowledge of punctuations, groans again, then lets it be. It's not like anyone cares. It's not like… not like  _he's_  watching.

Thinking of the setter makes his cheeks flush, and he stares at a point on the wall, pouting.

Shouyou only planned to play volleyball in high school, be the ace, and win with his team. Who decided to ruin it all and throw crushes at him? Really, it's not fair.

And that doesn't stop the smile from spreading on his lips, as he thinks about seeing the setter again, the following month.

Leaving out the bit that he can't confess, crushing on his friend really isn't bad. Kenma is a great person, after all.

His phone vibrates as a new message pops up, screen brightening, and he spares it a glance, intending to dismiss it if he's teased any further. That's not the case, and his eyes widen as they peruse the message.

_\- There's not much you have to do. Just do whatever anyone would do for their crush. It's not so hard._

The next message is long, and he reads through it, excitement rising. Perhaps, someone up there really does care for him. Why else would he get his own cheerleader, who's willing to walk him through the seven steps of making Kozume Kenma fall in love with him?

 

* * *

 

**One;**

_Give him flowers._

 

What awaits Kenma in the locker room is not something he expected. He opens his locker, and out falls a bunch of flowers. Calling it a bunch is a bit much, but he's kind.

He didn't even notice it till he tripped on it, after all, with his nose in his latest game.

Yamamoto laughs, then quietens as the implication of the flowers hits him. Jaw dropped, he tries finding the words, before spitting out, "He- he- Kenma got _flowers!_ "

Everyone turns to look at them both, and Kenma tries to block out the impending commotion. It still comes, and he still has to deal with it, but their captain diffuses the situation after a while, telling them to get ready for practice.

He mentally thanks Fukunaga, making sure to send some good spikes his way. He deserves it.

Even after practice, the incident bugs Kenma. He's not good with flowers, he doesn't know why the yellow ones - dandelions? - and the white ones are supposed to go together. And are those pink flowers, roses? Someone has a sense of humour and Kenma doesn't like it.

Like everything else that's useless, he decides to ask Kuroo about it.

His friend messages him every day, and the setter usually gives one-word replies, or just ignores them. It's the first time he's seeking him out on his own, and he hopes he can carry out a conversation without seeming suspicious.

_Hey, Kuro._

The response isn't instantaneous, and he tries to reason with himself. Kuroo is in university now, and he's got an intense workload on himself. He can't be around to answer at the drop of Kenma's hat, after all.

When the message does come, the setter eagerly looks at it.

_\- :3 What's up?_

He ignores the emoticon. _Nothing, really. Just wondering how you were doing._

\- _Oya? Now that's new. Well then, I'll just tell you about my day._

He texts back and forth with Kuroo for some time, before he can't take it anymore.

_Kuroo, do you know flowers?_

_\- Of course I do. You can see them anywhere. They're the things on green stems that grow from soil, Kenma._ _  
_ _\- Jokes aside, why? Did something happen?_

Did something happen? Of course it did. He simply pulls up the camera app, and clicks a picture of the flowers that Inuoka not so secretly stuffed into his schoolbag. He appreciates it. He didn't want to do it on his own.

_What are these?_

_\- Hm…_ _  
_ _\- Those look like…_

The answer doesn't come for a few more moments, and Kenma's on the edge of his seat with impatience when his phone finally chimes.

_\- Flowers._

_Kuro, what the hell._

_\- Eheh, sorry~. They look nice, where did you get them?_

He's not going to tell Kuroo even if he sent him a thousand pictures of cats.

_Picked them from the ground on my way back from practice. You know, they grow on the ground?_

_\- Haha, funny._

_Which flowers are these?_

_\- Uh. I think those are dandelions, and a sunflower. And also violets. The white ones are violets. The roses are pretty obvious, I think?_

_You have floral botany as a subject? Flower biology? Whatever it's called._

_\- Nah. I just like flowers. :)_

Since when? He doesn't say anything after that, just thanks Kuroo and talks to him a bit more before picking up his video game.

He's killing some villains, but then he's reminded of Shouyou, and he curses as the screen flashes, declaring him dead.

He wonders if the second year is having a good time in Miyagi. They've not seen each other in quite some time, but the younger boy has started sending more and more texts; sometimes related to volleyball, and sometimes related to all other things under the sun.

He bothers to _properly_ reply to only about ten percent of them, and leaves him short answers for the rest. That doesn't seem to deter the bright haired boy, who only gets more and more comfortable with their routine.

Thinking of him makes Kenma's thoughts go back to the flowers from the morning, and he's struck by how much the yellow flowers make him think of Shouyou.

Something clicks in his head, and he lays his console down, picking up his phone. Scrolling through his conversation with Kuroo, he looks at the names of the flowers.

Dandelions. Violets that are white. (Aren't they only supposed to be… well, violet?) Pink roses. And one sunflower.

He really can't find the sunflower from among the dandelions in the picture, but he's willing to take Kuroo's word for it.

Bringing up the search engine, he types them in individually, hoping to find their meanings. Twenty minutes and a realisation that he could have typed 'flower meanings' later, he arrives at a dreadful conclusion.

There's something three of the flowers have in common, and it's the fact that they symbolise _happiness_. Is he too dull, sad? Do people feel the need to remind him to be happy?

The fourth, sunflower, is about… the sun?

Happiness with the sun?

Happiness with… Hinata?

No. _No_.

 

* * *

 

**Two;**

_The stomach is the way to a man's heart._

 

 _\- Kenma! hi!_ _  
_ _\- do you like chocolates_ _  
_ _\- they're quite tasty, aren't they_ _  
_ _\- if you had to have some, what would you have?_ _  
_ _\- i think kuroo-san once mentioned you liked them? but i can't really remember_  
\- oh, sorry for sending so many texts, i press enter without thinking sometimes ˆˆ;

Kenma wakes up to the slew of messages, phone going off like someone set it on fire, and for a moment, he wants to yell at the person and throw it at the wall. It's not often that he gets to sleep so soundly, and now he's been woken up at God knows what time.

It's Shouyou. Of _course_ it's him.

Wait.

 _Why are you up so late?_ _  
_ _Or early._

It's almost four in the morning. Conclusion: ungodly.

_\- ehe, caught xP i've just woken up and am going to go for a run now! cannot lose to kageyama!!!!!!!!!!!_

_…You just woke up and the first thing you do is ask me about chocolates._ _  
_ _You woke me up too, you know._

There's no point being mad at the boy, though. He's too bright, and it feels like Kenma's screen is almost reflecting off sunlight. Weird.

About ten minutes later, Shouyou finally gets out of his hair, and Kenma sits on his bed, wide awake.

Ah, what the hell.

Dragging himself out of bed, he decides to go on a run of his own.

When he's done with practice in the morning (who invented that concept), he checks his phone only to find _more_ messages from Shouyou.

He sits through class without responding, and during lunch break, finally cuts short Shouyou's mission to find out what type of chocolate he likes.

_I don't like chocolates._

Shouyou had finally stopped messaging, probably having been scolded by a teacher or dozing off.

Thinking for a moment, he tacks on.

_Pies are nice._

Nice. Now Shouyou won't bug him for his preferences. He doesn't want to answer him anyway. He'd rather keep said preferences to himself.

Evening finds him with more messages, tapering off to different topics, and he diligently answers every question. Shouyou should look into a career for investigation.

The next afternoon, during break time, he gets a message.

There's nothing but a picture attached to a sentence, and he opens it.

Lord.

It's burnt on one side, and Kenma suspects the way it's been angled for the photo is specifically to hide the burnt portion. The other side, almost melting, doesn't look any more appetizing.

It's the quote that gets him, though.

_\- look, an apple lie! it's soggy, haha, but we made this in class, Kenma!_

The setter lays down his phone. And then he proceeds to eat everything within range.

If he ever got to sample Shouyou's food, he'd need a very special stomach, after all.

 

* * *

 

**Three;**

_Picking up; set!_

 

_If I were a setter, I'd set you and I up together._

It's there in his locker, _again_ , and Kenma is starting to think that one of the club members is messing with him.

He stares at the note, wondering what he's supposed to do with it, and Inuoka peeks over his shoulder, "Kenma-san, what's keeping you?"

Out of reflex, he closes his fist, crumbling the piece of paper. Stepping back and shutting the door to his locker, he looks up at his junior. The boy is smiling, eyes wide and bright, and Kenma envies his energy.

"Nothing," he finally mumbles, and busies himself with his belongings. He slips the note into his bag when he's sure no one's looking. He can analyse it when he's free. Or...

Or he could find out who wrote it. That's too much effort, though.

One by one, people leave the clubroom. When he's the last one left, he makes a quick decision. Tearing off a scrap of paper from one of the sheets lying around in his locker, he writes the word 'setter,' then balls it up and tosses it in a corner, near the dustbin.

Then he walks out and joins his teammates.

-

After practice, they're all in the clubroom again, when Yamamoto calls out, "Who forgot to clean up?!"

With all of his ace posturing, the lower year students are staring at him in awe, and Kenma just sighs internally. But that's his cue, and he turns to him frantically, panicked expression in place.

Inuoka beats him to the dustbin, and grabs the balled up paper. He opens it, partly, and Kenma reaches him then, snatching it out of his hands and dumping it into the dustbin.

"Uh, Kenma-san?" The middle blocker smiles down awkwardly at him. "Sorry, I didn't know it was yours."

"It's nothing important." He says again, with enough conviction so as to make himself look reasonably troubled. It takes too much out of him.

"Sure, if you say so."

-

The next day, when he's in school, Yamamoto comes up to him, and he resists flinching at his loud voice.

"Kenma, you! Someone's been sending you love letters, huh?"

He stares at the ace, wordlessly, then asks, "Who told you?"

Yamamoto laughs. "You left way too early yesterday. Everyone wanted to know what it was that you threw away, so we fished it out."

 _"Gross."_ They actually took it out of the dustbin? That was exactly what Kenma had expected.

"So Inuoka looked at it. But before the rest of us could see it, Fukunaga asked him to tear it up. You're relieved, right? But that's where it becomes fun for us. Inuoka saw it, and he told us what it said."

"What did it say?" He asks, voice sharp for reasons completely different from what Yamamoto thinks.

"Someone wants to set you up with them, hm?" He elbows Kenma, and the setter glares at him, but his eyes are wide.

Inuoka wrote it? For what reason?

He spends the day with his eyes trained firmly on the middle blocker, observing his every move. He doesn't seem to even realise, and Kenma is not happy.

The afternoon brings even weirder surprises with it, when the boy says to the setter, "Kenma-san, I, uh, may I know why you’ve been looking at me all day? Did something happen?” He hadn’t expected Inuoka to ask him that.

He decides the best course of action is to just confront him, and it slips out, "Why did you write that note?"

Inuoka's eyes widen imperceptibly, which he then controls. It's wishful thinking if he hopes that Kenma missed it. Because he didn't.

"It's no use acting like you don't know, because the one I threw was a fake."

"Oh..." Inuoka smiles sheepishly, then says, "I'd actually already read it over your shoulder, before practice. And Yamamoto-san was quite scary, so I ended up blurting it out when he asked." He pauses, gauging for Kenma's reaction, but the setter refuses to provide rhat satisfaction; face expressionless. "I'm sorry, Kenma-san."

He sighs. "It's fine, thanks for telling me. I thought you wrote it."

This time, Inuoka's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates, and he splutters. "N-no! Oh my god! Why would I- I don't feel like that towards you, senpai! And I'm very happy being a middle blocker!" Kenma tunes out his apologies, catching only the tail-end of his sentence, "...I'm sure Shouyou wouldn't mind being a setter. Like that, he could go up directly against you."

"Why are you talking about him?" Kenma asks, irritated. He's bringing Karasuno's shrimp into the conversation for no reason.

The other boy smiles."Well... he's a middle blocker. I'd be sad if I lost him as an opponent. But I'm sure he'd like to play against you as a setter, too."

Kenma nods, and then turns away to walk off. He doesn't notice how Inuoka sighs with relief, slumping back against the wall, and mumbling, "Captain, Shouyou, why..."

 

* * *

 

**Four;**

_'Cute,' 'Cat,' they're both similar._

 

Kenma hates whoever it is that's subjecting him to sleepless nights. No matter how much he tries to get it out of his mind and drift off, he's brought back to the topic.

First, flowers. Then the note. Who is it and why are they doing it? Kenma suspects his team, but there's no one so cruel as to play a petty prank.

He doesn't know anyone who would genuinely be interested in him. He spends most of his time engrossed in video games, and the time he spends out of those is devoted to volleyball. Not really a chance for someone to realise that oh, they like him.

Maybe someone from his team likes him? That thought is laughable, and he refuses to entertain it for more than a moment.

The only other people he knows are those from other schools that Nekoma has played against. He doesn't remember shooting arrows into anyone's heart.

With nothing to do, he does the stupidest thing possible.

He messages Shouyou.

_You know anyone who likes flowers?_

He's shocked when the reply comes immediately.

_\- who doesnt? Maybe kageyama doesnt... but i think everyone else does. Flowers are really pretty._

_They are._  
_Why aren't you sleeping?_

_\- waaahhh I couldn't sleep!!!! Why are you up ? if i should be sleeping, then you should too :c_

_Don't feel like it._

_\- why not!_

This is Shouyou. He won't look too much into things.

 _I can't relax enough to sleep. I'm thinking of random, unilortant things._  
_*unimportant_

It's a testament to how tired he is that he sends the first message as it is.

_\- alright, i'll help you sleep_

Really? How? Is he going to run all the way from Miyagi in the middle of the night and sing lullabies into Kenma's ears? Can Shouyou even sing?

He's busy thinking about the middle blocker's singing skills, when his phone lights up again. There aren't any words, but just a picture attached to the message.

His eyes widen.

It's the cutest thing he's seen in ages.

It's the picture of a _cat_.

Kenma stares at it for some moments, before slamming the keyboard.

_SEND MORE._

Goodness, he didn't need to type in uppercase, but the cat made his heart melt into a puddle and he feels so warm and fuzzy and is it really two in the night?

Shouyou sends him some more pictures, and each one makes his heart leap. He's reminded of Kuroo with frightening clarity; how his friend had started crying once when he saw a kitten the size of his hand.

Then Shouyou sends something else, and it gets covered up with a wall of apologies and shouted texts about how it was sent accidentally, but Kenma can't tear his eyes away from it. It's going to be there forever, on his screen and in his mind, and _God,_ Shouyou looks really cute when he smiles like that.

Which, what? Why? Why does he find Shouyou cute?

 _I'll rate this one the best in today's spam_.

Oops. Did he say that? He totally didn't.

 _\- fdjsjgkfldkdkdsflksf_ _  
_ _\- KENMA_  
\- (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄

That's too cute of an emote for Kenma's 2 AM heart.

 _\- why would you say that?_ _  
_ _\- but, uh, thanks >//< _

Holy lord Shouyou please don't take it that far don't look too much into it don't pay attention don't-

_I'm tired. That's all._

Is this the part where Kuroo would kurooticise him for being a pansy? Honestly, he doesn't know why he said it, but it's not because he's tired. Oh well, he's really not up for dealing with such things right now.

_\- aw, please get some sleep, kenma! you need it, don't skip out on the zzz's_

That makes his lips tilt up, amused.

_Sure, and you too._

_\- i have nothing to worry about! I have perfected the art of sleeping in class!!!!!_ _  
_ _\- now if only i can do it in a way that sensei only sees kageyama and not me…_

Oh, Shouyou.

_:')_

 

* * *

 

**Five;**

 

When Kenma loses at the level for the fifth time in a row, he knows something is wrong. Because it's an _easy_ level, and Kenma knows how to get past the knight. He just blanks out, and the next moment, the knight stands atop his character's dead body.

Fukunaga peaks into his screen, and frowns a bit. Yamamoto has a stronger reaction, clutching his head and groaning, "Oh no, once more. Keep going." Kenma nods, trying to control his expressions and not let the dissatisfaction show. It's not like he invited anyone to observe him play. Maybe it's their fault that he's losing, because he's not used to people watching him while he plays.

Or maybe it's his conversation with Shouyou from a few nights ago, and _maybe_ he's still thinking about the absolutely stupid thing he said.

Not the compliment. He means the message where he totally shot Shouyou down and blamed his lack of sleep for something that he willingly said, with all his wits about him.

'I'm tired,' really? One moment, he was so awake, cooing at the cats, and the next he was too tired to compliment the boy from Miyagi?

All the time he's spent thinking about the incident makes him lose a sixth time, and frustrated, he tosses the console down on his desk. Fukunaga jerks from where he's sitting backwards on a chair, rocking it. They stare at each other, one, startled, and the other defensive.

"Is something bothering you?" the captain finally asks, and Kenma points to Yamamoto. "Huh?!" the ace gets up from his seat, ready to shout, but Fukunaga just holds up his hand.

"That's okay. Maybe take a walk to cool your head, it'll keep you away from him." The captain smiles, and Yamamoto can do nothing but glare. Kenma doesn't even have that much of a problem with him right now. He has a problem with _himself_.

He heeds Fukunaga's suggestion, and walks out of the classroom.

He ends up in front of the clubroom before he realises where he is, and he's tempted to turn around and go off somewhere else. But the door is shut, and the lights are all switched off, and there's the _solitude_ that he wishes for right now.

Climbing up the stairs and opening the door, Kenma thanks Kuroo for sneakily passing him the spare key before he left for university. His friend is great at times like these.

It's dark inside, but not that much, because the sunlight filters in through the curtains, bathing the room in a dull red light. He likes it.

Plopping his behind down on a chair in the corner, he sighs, shutting his eyes. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts, but now he just wants to sleep and forget everything, because all he can think of is one Hinata Shouyou.  

Also known as the source of his suffering.

Kenma isn't stupid. He's never been one for denial. If he finds someone attractive, he'll tell himself and come to terms with it and move on.

But with Shouyou, it's a bit different.

He's probably the only person that Kenma genuinely feels something for. The way he makes his heart race with his stupidly bright smile, and that unending positivity that tires Kenma out, but warms him up at the same time.

He's reminded of the sunflower, and he slaps a hand over his eyes. Does his brain have to supply the worst information at the perfect time? Perhaps it's conspiring against him. He wishes Shouyou was the one who gave him the flowers.

But of course he can't. He's in Miyagi; too far away. He wouldn't come to Tokyo just to leave flowers for Kenma. A guy can dream, though.

Cursing at himself for having such a weak resolve, he pulls out his phone, going to the photo gallery. Pulling up the picture of the flowers, he stares hard at it. They're mostly just white and yellow blurs.

Not good enough to figure out which flowers they are. Unless Kenma asked the one who sent them.

He wants to punch Kuroo.

There isn't even any sunflower, as far as Kenma can see.

Annoyed, with nothing better to do, he dials his friend's number.

Kuroo picks up after the second ring, and Kenma doesn't give him a chance to speak. "Kuro, you absolute _liar_."

_"I feel like you've figured something out."_

"Oh, nothing much, just the fact that you tricked me." he replies, seething. "Maybe I should send you more flowers and ask you what they are, instead of asking you what the flowers _you_ sent me are."

The other end of the line is quiet, and Kenma almost thinks that Kuroo hung up, before the answer comes, _"I didn't send them to you."_

"You're still telling me that you're great at flowers and can differentiate one yellow flower from another in a blurred picture?"

_"Nope. I just didn't send them to you. I never said I didn't make someone else send them to you."_

"Kuro, _what?_ " He can't believe his ears. Kuroo _really_ owned up to it. "What do you mean? Who sent them? Who actually let you force them into doing stupid, immature things?" It's the most he's spoken all day, and it makes him feel like he's spending way too much effort into things that shouldn't matter. But they do; of course they do.

 _"Oya, interested, are we?"_ Kenma's eye twitches, but he says nothing. _"Fine. I'll tell you. I shouldn't, really, but if you're that concerned, then I'll tell you."_

_"I made someone put them in, on someone else's request."_

"Who, and who?"

_"Someone, and someone else. I don't think I can tell you without incurring their wrath. Sorry~."_

"Inuoka." Kuroo doesn't answer, and that's enough confirmation. "You made Inuoka send me flowers, just like you made him write that note."

_"Did I?"_

"Yes."

 _"You seem to be convinced about that. Sure. But why did I do that?"_ Kuroo sounds amused, and Kenma makes a face. _"I need to have a reason, right?"_

It comes out before he can stop himself. "Shouyou."

They start speaking at the same time, and stop.

 _"You can go first."_ Kuroo offers helpfully, and Kenma really doesn't want that. "You go first, Kuro."

_"Fine, as you wish. But yeah, Hinata. Your chibi crush."_

The setter's face darkens, ears flushing, and he's about to snap, but Kuroo continues. _"He wanted you to get those flowers at all costs. They were from his heart, after all."_

What?

_What?_

"I was going to say that you sent them to me to remind me of him…" he trails off, what Kuroo said finally registering in his mind. Shouyou… was the one who made Inuoka put the flowers in his locker?

Why?

Shouyou, as in the person who Kenma's liked for more time than he's comfortable thinking of? The same Shouyou, who makes Kenma smile like an idiot, mess up his games (video; not volleyball), and do stupid things? The Shouyou who brightened up the gym every time they had practice games…

And then it hits him. The pie… which he really didn't need, but Shouyou made anyway. Texting him late at night. _It doesn't mean anything itdoesn'tmeananything itdoesn't-_

"Kuro, do you mean it?" he asks, quietly, trying not to let the hope bleed into his voice. It's stupid; Kuroo is definitely lying, again, like so many other times, because Kenma is stupid and thinks that someone like Shouyou would want him. It's not that he's too dull, it's just that Shouyou is too bright. People like him don't love people like Kenma.

 _"Why wouldn't I?"_ Kuroo's voice reaches his ears and he comes back from the thoughts bordering on self-deprecating. _"Do you think I'm so heartless that I'd lie to my best friend about his crush shouting at me about everything that he loves about said best friend? Oh, whoops, I didn't say that."_

W h a t.

Not willing to hear any more, he shakes his phone violently, and accidentally ends the call.

 

_Dreams; not just for the night._

 

He messages Shouyou that night.

_I heard you've been sending some stuff._

_\- huh?_

He shouldn't be doing this. He never takes anything head on; why is he doing so now?

_Kuroo told me. He said you're responsible for the flowers._

He doesn't get a reply for so long that he's convinced Shouyou left. If someone confronted Kenma like that, he would run for the hills. As it is, he's cornered Shouyou. Stupid Kenma.

But then Shouyou replies.

 _\- um_ _  
_ _\- are you mad?_

He doesn't know what to say. He's not _mad_ , obviously, but Shouyou doesn't know that, and Kenma isn't sure how to respond. The messages keep coming, though.

 _\- i'm sorry_ _  
_ _\- maybe you didn't need that_ _  
_ _\- but i had to do it_  
\- because i can't hold it in any longer

Oh, God.

 _\- i like you, Kenma_ _  
_ _\- as more than a friend_

How is Shouyou saying that with zero qualms? If Kenma did that, he'd probably ready himself for some grand rejection.

_\- let me know if it's a bother, and i won't talk about it again!_

It's _not_ a bother, holy lord. He doesn't know what to say; has absolutely no words, and he knows that smashing random keys at this moment wouldn't be wise.

_I'm not mad. I needed that._

He can't bring himself to say 'I like you too,' even though he should, so he settles for the next thing he can think of.

 _The theme was quite nice. Of the flowers. Happiness and sunshine._ _  
_ _I don't like chocolates because they don't give me endorphins. (Is that the word? I don't know, Kuro would know.) Your face does._  
I can't believe Kuro got Inuoka to write that note. Was that from you as well?

He's not sure what to say about the last thing, but he does so anyway.

_I'd rather stare at your face the whole day, than look at cat pics. And I'd prefer if you stared at me instead of those cats, no matter how cute they are._

He can't believe the words that are coming out of his brain and onto his phone. He really can't.

_\- Kenma, omg, who knew you were so smooth? (⁄ ⁄ >⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄) ♡ _

His face flames.

_Ask me something else?_

He's going to just flirt now, like his life depends on it. Maybe that'll convince Shouyou.

_\- Uhhh, what are your dreams? Do you ever think of stuff?_

Kenma stares at the message, then types up his response. He presses enter and sends the message before he can think otherwise.

_Being with you._

The phone rings.

Kenma stares at it in dread.

Should he pick up; should he not? He should, obviously. But how should he reach it? Just… pick it up...? Like a console… Press the button and accept the call. Talk. Right, he can do that. He can even be quiet, make dead fish sounds, or whatever those are, and listen to Shouyou talk.

But he needs to accept the call first.

Fingers shaking - he'll never admit it if you asked him - he presses the button, and brings the phone up to his ear.

 _"KENMA!"_ He flinches. _"Kenma, oh my god! Is that… is that_ true? _Are you serious when you say that? Oh my god, I'm so happy! Kuroo-san told me not to be scared, but it was so scary! But he was right! I had nothing to be worried about!"_ Nothing to be worried about? Kuro, really?

There's a prolonged silence, and then Shouyou talks again, _"Kenma, you there?"_ The setter makes a sound, not capable of producing words, and he can hear Shouyou sighing. _"Okay, good. I thought you left."_ Idiot. Why would he leave?

He finally opens his mouth. "Are you coming to Tokyo this weekend?"

_"Yeah! And we don't even have the fear of exams over our heads this time! I'm so excited! What about you?"_

Kenma smiles. "I'm looking forward to it, of course. I'll be able to play with you again."

 

* * *

 

Kuroo sighs, rubbing at his temple. As far as he knows, Hinata ended up never trying out the last three points.

 _5\. Talk about dreams. Appear mature, or something.  
_ _6\. Play with him._  
7\. Confess, straight up.

But it worked out anyway, because Nekoma and Karasuno had a practice game that weekend, and Kenma and Hinata also ended up confessing to each other.

Maybe they didn't need his help, after all. Maybe Hinata realised that he should have trusted his own gut, and depended only on himself to woo Kenma. Maybe he realised that Kuroo had been joking when he'd sent the messages. Maybe he's got some angry juniors waiting for him.

But really, it's alright, in the end.

Staring at his messages, he huffs a laugh. Kids will always be kids.

 

 **\- x -**  

**Author's Note:**

> Ik this was bad and rushed but pls don't hate me :(((  
>  ~~I would have done a better job if i c o u l d~~


End file.
